


sleep

by orphan_account



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Abused Leo Valdez, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Grace is a Good Friend, Leo Valdez Needs a Hug, Sort of? - Freeform, anyway they friends i actually don’t ship cuz i love pjo the way it is, doesnt matter, i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:47:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24218359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: ”You didn’t,” Jason said. “Dude, I know you hate me being like a helicopter parent, but I’m serious about getting sleep. You’re going to die.””From what?””Exhaustion.”Leo doubted anyone could die from exhaustion. That was a pathetic reason to die. “That’s not true.””It is.””Exhaustion is not a real thing. I haven’t felt that in years,” Leo said.
Relationships: Jason Grace & Leo Valdez
Comments: 5
Kudos: 240





	sleep

**Author's Note:**

> OH MY GOD IM FKING HYPED ABOUT THE PJO MOVIES AHHH UNCLE RICK REALLY IS A GOD HE SUCH A KING   
> also this could be a ship or a friendship i honestly don’t even know   
> actually i didn’t want to write a fic because i vowed never to TOUCH pjo because it was the first book i ever enjoyed in my life but hey i wanna celebrate

Leo’s in his Argo II. Well, not _his_ Argo II. _The_ Argo II. Or whatever. He placed the screwdriver on the table, having done nothing but played with it for the past half hour. He hasn’t done anything worthwhile the whole day, actually. He couldn’t. 

He can’t think of anything to do. Everything was basically perfect. The only problem was the occasional monsters, which he couldn’t do anything about. Anything. He couldn’t do anything. It was a bit intimidating when the others did all the work when they were being attacked and all Leo did was fix the vehicle. What was he, an engineer? Don’t answer that.

He left the engine room and walked to Festus’ head. “Hey, buddy.”

_Creak?_

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep,” Leo said. Maybe he could. He didn’t try, to be honest. After years of trying to sleep and failing, he decided that he should probably stop wasting time acting asleep and actually do something in the time. “Sorry, by the way. For accidentally breaking your body. I promise I’ll get it fixed.”

_Creak._

”Nah, it’s not okay. Even if you don’t think so, I’ll do it. It makes me feel a little better, y’know? I know you probably hate me and we didn’t even spend a lot of time together, but I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back to your original form,” Leo said. He put a hand on Festus’ head. “But I can only fix it with Celestial Bronze, and we’re short of that on the Argo. I’ll figure something out by the time the quest is finished.”

 _By the time the quest is finished._ Leo doubted he’ll get that far. He’s the one who dies, anyway. Jason could be, too... But Leo would rather be dead than Jason. Jason didn’t deserve it. He’s praetor and he’s more valuable in terms of godly bloodlines. He’s more suited to lead. 

Plus, Leo doesn’t even do anything around here. He’s nothing more than a mechanic. He doubted that even if he tried, he wouldn’t _not_ die. He just hoped he manages to find some way to repay those who helped him with stuff. 

“Leo?”

Leo turned around. Who in Hades would be awake at this time? Jason, apparently. He put on a smile. “Sup, Praetor?”

”Why are you awake?” Jason had a Camp Jupiter shirt on, with jeans. He walked towards Leo. 

“What about you?” he asked. “You should save energy for tomorrow.”

”I have to stay on watch,” Jason said. “Percy just went back.”

Leo wondered if Percy heard him talking to Festus. That would be awkward, because he didn’t tell anyone about being able to speak to Festus and he was basically talking to himself. “Oh. Well, have a good time?”

”Why are you awake?” Jason asked.

Leo shrugged. “I think I drank too much coffee.”

Jason frowned. “We finished the coffee last week. Annabeth drank it all.”

”Really? Then what did _I_ drink?” Leo said. “Ah, whatever. The psychological stuff’s happening to my brain, so I won’t be able to sleep.”

”Huh?”

Leo waved a hand in front of him. “Doesn’t matter. You can do whatever you want about being on watch. I’m pretty sure Festus can do a lot, though.”

”Go to sleep, Valdez.”

”I told you, I can’t.”

”You can. You didn’t drink any coffee.”

”Would you believe it if I told you I had a secret stash of coffee somewhere?” Leo asked.

Jason thought about it. “Yes.”

”There’s your answer.”

”Why would you drink coffee at a time like this?” Jason asked.

Leo put his best confused expression on his face. “Why _would_ I drink coffee at a time like this?”

Jason sighed. “Leo, just go to sleep. You need rest.”

”I sleep every other night! It’s okay, you can go do your heroic shit. I’ll be here,” Leo said. “I have Festus to protect me.”

Jason slapped his forehead. “Dude, I know you don’t sleep. I have to watch like every three nights.”

”Maybe I don’t sleep every three nights.”

”And I decided to investigate after the first week. You seriously don’t sleep.”

Leo cocked his head to the side. “Okay, so you’re a stalker.”

”That doesn’t change the fact that I’m right.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “C’mon, Jace! I’m fine, I’m sure I can survive another hundred nights. I promise I won’t die.”

”Just go to sleep. How hard can it be?” Jason asked. “I promise I’ll protect you.”

”I told you I drank coffee.”

”You didn’t,” Jason said. “Dude, I know you hate me being like a helicopter parent, but I’m serious about getting sleep. You’re going to die.”

”From what?”

”Exhaustion.”

Leo doubted anyone could die from _exhaustion._ That was a pathetic reason to die. “That’s not true.”

”It is.”

”Exhaustion is not a real thing. I haven’t felt that in years,” Leo said. 

“Well, you should probably get some sleep before you start feeling that again.”

Leo sighed. “Why does it bother you, anyway? I’ll be fine.”

”Because you’re my friend,” Jason said. “Go get some sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

”I don’t even feel _bad_ right now,” countered Leo. 

“How desperate are you to not sleep? What’s stopping you?” Jason asked. “What, nightmares? I’ll wake you up if that happens.”

”I don’t get nightmares. I’m too OP for that.” 

That was, however, one of the reasons. Nightmares of him killing his mother. Nightmares of him getting comforted by nurses and police officers. Nightmares of him seeing Gaia and setting the house on fire. Nightmares of his Aunt Rosa whipping him with a belt, and his relatives that didn’t adopt him talking about him being a _diablo,_ of him being the seventh wheel. 

But it wasn’t the only reason, so Jason was wrong. 

“Then what?” Jason asked. “Are you scared monsters will come and you’ll die?”

”Uh, monsters will not come and I will not die. Festus can protect me,” Leo said. 

“Yeah, and I’ll be right here to make sure you wake up and see my awesome skills in killing the monster,” Jason said. “What else? Why can’t you sleep?”

Leo sighed. “You shouldn’t be worried. I promise I’ll be fine.”

”Sleep is essential. You gotta get some sleep if you don’t want to die.”

”I’ll be fine.”

”People who are fine can get sleep.”

”Just leave me alone, Jason,” Leo said. “You’re seriously annoying me.”

”Can I annoy you into sleeping?”

Leo gritted his teeth. “You absolutely cannot. I’m on a streak. Can you leave me alone? Please?”

He couldn’t sleep because he couldn’t sleep. That was it. That’s all. He can’t close his eyes and pretend that he can’t see that Dirt Goddess taunting him. He can’t scream when he has nightmares like it doesn’t bother the other demigods. He can’t sleep and get blissful rest like he deserves it for not doing anything. He needs to stay awake so he can find things to fix. To make sure nothing goes wrong. 

“That is the first time you’ve said please to me.”

”Good that you noticed,” Leo said. “This situation is serious. Hey, I’ll cook some cup noodles if you want.”

”Nice try to change the topic.”

”Shouldn’t you be on watch or something? Stop disturbing me.”

”Go to sleep, Leo.”

”I can’t.”

”You can.”

”I _can’t.”_

”I’m pretty sure it’s a human essential.”

”I can’t!” Leo shouted. Jason stared at Leo after the sudden outburst. Leo sighed. “I’m sorry. I’ll just go to the engine room.”

”You don’t have your own room?” Jason asked, not unkindly. Just in a matter-of-fact way.

Leo shrugged. “No space. It’s not like I sleep, right?” he laughed.

Jason sighed. “I’ll accompany you. We can talk, so it wouldn’t be boring when I’m on watch.”

”Wow, that’s what it took for you to stop pestering? Do you really want me to stay here that badly?”

Jason looked at Festus, ignoring Leo. “So, what’s up with you? What’s your fatal flaw?”

”I don’t know. Didn’t spend enough time thinking about it, I guess,” Leo said. “Yours?”

“Forgot,” Jason said. “I’m sure I’ll figure it out soon, though.” He glanced at Leo. “Hey, is something bothering you?”

”Not really.”

Jason let out a small laugh. “Okay.”

”Actually...” Leo started. Should he tell him? When Jason wasn’t being a total parental figure, it was easier to tell him stuff. And Jason was technically his best friend. Yeah, he should. It would feel better. “Nemesis said something a while back.”

”What did she say?”

”That I’m the ‘seventh wheel’,” Leo said. “She wasn’t kidding, though. Have you seen the love levels of this ship?”

”Ha-ha. Funny joke.”

”Thank you,” Leo said. “Okay, but seriously. There’s Annabeth and Percy who manages to do some weird thing every night, Hazel and Frank who are the cinnamon rolls of everything and is the most scariest things on earth if the other is threatened, you and Piper who is the most disgustingly amazing thing ever. Then there’s me. I’m _literally_ the seventh wheel.”

”Are you bothered by it?” Jason asked.

Leo thought about it. _Was_ he bothered by it? He can’t be that petty, can he? “No.”

”Then?” 

“I think it was what the other thing Nemesis said. She said I’d _always_ be the seventh wheel,” Leo said. “I mean, it’s pretty petty to be bothered by being alone and having no friends, but I’m honestly bothered by that.”

”I don’t blame you,” Jason admitted. “Must be pretty depressing to be the one alone. But hey, you’d find someone. The seven of us aren’t the only ones on earth, you know. You could get together with a goddess for all you know. Besides, Nemesis isn’t a love goddess. If anything, she’s just someone who hates things. She’ll do anything to get you to do whatever.”

”You have a point,” Leo said. 

“You know you can tell me anything, right?” Jason asked. “We’re best friends.”

”Yep.”

”Uh, do you want to tell me about your tragic backstory? Everyone here has one,” Jason said. “I’ve heard most of theirs, but not yours.”

”My backstory?” Leo asked, confused. “Wait, how do I not know about this?”

Jason laughed. “I have no idea. Anyway, do you want to tell me?”

”Do I?”

Jason sighed. “It’s a yes or no question. I don’t want to force you.”

It wouldn’t hurt. It’s Jason, after all. “You have to promise you won’t look at me weirdly after.”

”How weird can it be?”

”I don’t know,” Leo said. “When I was eight, my mom and I were leaving and she forgot her keys.”

”That sounds awfully creepy.”

”Yeah, it’s straight out of a horror movie. So, she went back in and then the next thing I knew the door was locked and she was stuck inside.”

”Oh, what else happened?”

”Then the Queen of Dirt came to visit me and I was scared so I used my powers to try and fight her,” Leo said. “Like, how stupid can I be? Anyway, my fire got out of control and everything died except Dirt Face, the end.”

Jason laughed a bit, then stopped. “Wait, what?”

”What?”

”Everything died?”

”That’s what I said.”

”Including your mom?” Jason asked.

”I was hoping you weren’t gonna focus on that,” Leo muttered. He looked at the scenery, avoiding Jason’s gaze. “Yeah, uh... She died.”

”I’m sorry.”

Leo frowned, turning to look at Jason. “Huh?”

”Sorry. About your mom’s death.”

”That’s weird,” Leo said. “People usually get scared when I tell people that I killed my mom.”

”You don’t look scary to me.”

”Thanks,” Leo said. “Well, now you know the reason why I want to kill Dirt Face so much. I want to kill her more than anyone else on this ship.”

”Yeah, it makes sense,” Jason said. “You said that you were eight at the time. What happened after?”

How observant can Jason be? Leo swears he’s the only person who actually asked and noticed all the small things. “I got adopted.”

”But you were at the Wilderness School.”

”Yeah, I ran away,” Leo said. 

“Six times, right?”

Leo blinked. “Yes.”

”Why?”

”My Aunt’s pretty violent.”

”Pretty violent?”

”A few whippings, that’s all,” Leo said. “But that’s nothing compared to your wolf bites.”

”Whippings?” Jason asked.

”It’s nothing,” Leo said. 

“You couldn’t have been adopted by your other family relatives?”

Wow, he really noticed everything, didn't he? “Oh, them? They weren’t keen on adopting someone with fire powers.”

”That’s the only reason? That’s not very...”

”Yeah. But y’know, fire and having a single parent and stuff, the idea being Satan’s child was out,” Leo said. “It would be best if I didn’t get adopted by someone who thought I was a _diablo,_ right?”

”I guess you’re right,” Jason said. 

Silence.

”Uh, Leo, you know we’re all here for you, right?”

Leo looked at him. “Hmm?”

”If you need someone to talk to...”

”Yeah. I know,” Leo said. 

“You don’t want to talk about it?”

”I mean, I have,” Leo pointed out.

Jason looked at the scenery. “It doesn’t seem like you feel better.”

”I don’t feel anything,” said Leo.

”Why don’t you want to get sleep?” Jason asked. “I’m not asking you to go to sleep. But why?”

”I can’t. Nightmares and fears. Stuff like that,” Leo said. “Plus, I’ll wake everyone up if I scream. It wouldn’t hurt to stay awake, anyway. I don’t feel tired.”

”Do you feel anything?”

”Probably not,” Leo admitted. “But hey, I feel the thrill when I’m accidentally plummeting to my death.”

”You just sound suicidal.”

”Oh,” Leo said. Suicidal was a thing. Right.

Jason chuckled. “Okay, Valdez. I’ll give you a challenge.”

”What is it?”

”If you manage to sleep by the end of next week, you win,” Jason said. 

“Okay, what do I get from this?”

”Some rest. Also, you’d honestly be doing me a favour. Do you know how worried I’ve been the entire time?”

Someone was worried about him? When Leo heard that, he felt a sense of pride in his heart. “Sorry.”

”If you want to apologise, go get some sleep. I promise you’d be helping a lot of people out.”

Leo nodded. He made his way to the engine room—

“In my room, dumbass.”

”Huh?”

”You can’t sleep in the engine room. I don’t have proof you were lying about the extra coffee, and I’m a bit scared.”

”You’re such a Mom.”

”Sign me up for Mother’s Day.”

Leo walked to Jason’s room. 

“Hey, Jason?”

”Yes?”

”Thanks.”

**Author's Note:**

> BUT SERIOUSLY DISNEY PLUS   
> D I S N E Y P L U S  
> DISNEY PLUS  
> THE THING THAT OWNS MARVEL IS MAKING A PJO TV SERIES  
> AND RICK IS GOING TO OVERSEE IT SO IT DOESNT SCREW UP  
> AHHHH


End file.
